Introduction
Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a United States sociology expert, a novel writer, a short story writer, a poet, an academic professor who fought for women’s rights. Charlotte Perkins Gilman was one of the extraordinary women of her time. Charlotte Perkins Gilman became the beacon for women fighting for gender equality.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman had unconventional theories and lifestyle that run against the very grain of society’s theory that women are the lesser gender. Charlotte Perkins Gilman became famous for the “The Yellow Paper” masterpiece. The masterpiece was a self-biography discussing the daily sufferings from the disease entitled postpartum psychosis. Charlotte Gilman successfully instituted women’s rights (Kessler, 1995).
Charlotte Perkins Gilman Bibliography
Born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1860, Mary Perkins researched several books at the public library. Mary’s childhood is characterized as lonely and isolated. Her father’s pasting of literary books encouraged Mary Perkins Gilman to indulge in reading many books in the library.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman studied in more than five public schools. Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a slow learner in class. Charlotte Perkins Gilman supported herself through college by working as an artist, painter, and tutor (Kessler, 1995).
In 1894, Charlotte Perkins Gilman actively participated in the activities of many feminist and reform organizations. Specifically, Charlotte Perkins Gilman joined several group like the “The Pacific Costs Women’s Press Association, The Women’s Alliance, The Economic Club, The Parents’ Association, The Ebell Society, and many others.
In the same year, Charlotte Perkins Gilman espoused many progressive views regarding the father’s rights to the child after the courts approve a divorce. Charlotte Perkins Gilman insisted that her former husband had every right to visit their child after the divorce. In the same manner, her daughter, Katharine, had every right to learn and love her natural father.
In 1884, Charlotte Perkins Gilman complained about her post-partum depression state after giving birth to her child, Katharine. Charlotte Perkins Gilman was described as hysterical and nervous. However, her friends did not take her health complaints seriously (Davis 36).
In 1888, Mary Charlotte Gilman had finally called it quits and divorced her husband. In 1893, Charlotte Perkins Gilman met her cousin, Atty. Houghton Gilman of Wall Street fame. Charlotte Perkins Gilman got married to her cousin, Atty. Houghton Gilman. In January of 1932, Mary committed suicide after accepting that her cancer was incurable.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman had breast cancer. In 1896, Mary represented California in the Suffrage Convention in Washington D.C. Charlotte Perkins Gilman joined the International Socialist and Labor Congress in England during 1896. Charlotte Perkins Gilman joined the Nationalism organization. The organization focused on ending capitalism’s greedy outstretched arms.
The Nationalism Organisation’s activities focus on ensuring a peaceful environment. The organization espoused ethical compliance, through promoting a progressive interpersonal interaction. Charlotte Perkins Gilman insisted that women should be on equal terms with the men. Charlotte Perkins Gilman insisted that women must have the right to equal treatment in all work, school, and other undertakings.
The women’s breast cancer issue influenced Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s masterpiece “The Yellow WallPaper”. Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote several popular books. Her poems are found in the Art Gems for the Homely and Fireside. In 1893, Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote In This World, and Women and Economics espousing that sex education must not be taught in the K years.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman authored the popular book, Women and Economics in 1898. The book lifted her name to international fame. Consequently, Charlotte Perkins Gilman travelled to different locations, propagating her desire to one day see the reality that man will finality agree that women are their equal in all facets of life. Charlotte Perkins Gilman held a speaking engagement in Berlin, Germany.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman discussed her gender equality theory at the International Congress of Women in Berlin seminar. Charlotte Perkins Gilman also travelled to different countries to discuss her equality theory in seminars or speaking engagements. Charlotte Perkins Gilman visited countries like England, Germany, Hungary, and Holland, Germany, Austria, as well as Hungary.
In her book, “The Home: It’s Work and Influence”, Charlotte Perkins Gilman theorized that women were often victimized in their own homes. The women are treated as second-class citizens by their husbands.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman also espoused that society must change its current perception that women are second class citizens within the United States society. Charlotte Perkins Gilman bought her own magazine entitled The Forerunner.
Her article focuses on stimulating the readers to rise up and have enough hope, and courage to fight for their rights, especially the women. The same magazine forerunner successfully continued for the next 7 years. The magazine gained lots of loyalty from clients who liked Gilman’s fearless approach to ensuring that gender discrimination is eradicated from the face of the earth.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman also wrote articles for other media companies. The companies include the Baltimore Sun, Buffalo Evening News, and Louiseville Herald.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman also wrote her first book, Art Gems for the Home and the Fireside (1888).During here entire adult life, Charlotte Perkins Gilman gave speeches and wrote books on hot themes like ethics, human rights, social reform, labor, and others (Kessler, 2010).
Further, Charlotte Perkins Gilman boldly emphasized that the women must use sexual overtures to persuade their husbands to bring home food and other home necessities. Charlotte Perkins Gilman blamed the Darwin theory stating that the home is ruled by the husband alone.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman insisted that the historical Darwin theory stating that the husband is aggressive and the wife played the motherly roles in the home has disappeared in the current age. The old theory stating that men are made to have regular sex precipitates to rapes and violence in the home.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman discussed that society had instituted the unfair women environment where the young girls are mainly training to become future mothers. Charlotte Perkins Gilman was disgusted with the marketing of a different set of toys, and clothes for boys and girls.
Charlotte Gilman theorized that the women should not be left in the home; the women have a right to find work and earn money to payment the family’s daily home expenses (Davis, 2010). The home expenses include electricity, water, and telephone bills.
In addition, Charlotte Perkins Gilman reiterated that the house chores must be equally distributed between the husband and the wife. In her desire to win more votes, Charlotte Perkins Gilman insists that all women must be granted their right to vote for their candidates in the current and future elections. However, Charlotte Perkins Gilman stepped out of her comfort zone when she adversely opined on the issue of the African Americans (Davis, 2010).
In the progressive area, Charlotte Perkins Gilman focused on sex subjection, Charlotte Perkins Gilman focused on fighting for the women’s equality rights. Charlotte Perkins Gilman also favored the study of the initiatives.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman was interested in eugenics, sanitation, birth control, and anti-vice, and anti-prostitution. Charlotte Perkins Gilman also talked against the erroneous Darwinian Theory stating that women are born to be “sex slaves” of the husbands (Kessler 1995).
Charlotte Perkins Gilman is remembered as a person who boldly stood up against society’s prior gender discrimination culture. The prior culture states that women should be kept inside the home as sex slaves of the husband.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman should be remembered because the current women of society are enjoying the fruits of her unending efforts to free the women from their current bondage. Charlotte Perkins Gilman fought for the women to be free from the torments of their husbands. Some husbands force their wives to have sex as well as accomplish home chores.
Her historical contributions to fight for the rights of the women had been successful. Today, many women are working outside the home. Many women are earning higher salaries than men in the work place. Many companies prefer to hire men over the women (Davis, 2010).
Conclusion
In a nutshell, Charlotte Perkins Gilman fearlessly fought for the women’s rights. Charlotte Perkins Gilman was one of the extraordinary women of her time. Charlotte Perkins Gilman championed the rights of women to vote. Charlotte Perkins Gilman authored many articles and made speeches rallying for the approval of the women’s rights issues. She pursued the theory that the women must be free from the erroneous Darwin theory. Charlotte Gilman successfully instituted women’s rights.
References
Davis, C. (2010) Charlotte Perkins Gilman: A Biography. London, SU Press
Kessler, C. (1995) Charlotte Perkins Gilman. London, SU Press